The County has 10 great Employee Resource Groups (ERG). They are each led by a respective board who all demonstrate commitment and stewardship of its members to the various sectors of our community.

Get to know San Diego County Latino Association Secretary Alex Talaro, an administrative analyst II with Self Sufficiency Services.

Q: How long have you worked for the County and what departments have you worked for?

A: Four years total with the Health and Human Services Agency – 3 years as a permanent employee (Self-Sufficiency Services) and one year as a graduate student worker with The Knowledge Center (TKC).

Q: What do you do in your role/what are your job responsibilities?

A: I am a contracting officer representative (COR) for a few contracts with Self-Sufficiency Services and the Office of Military Veterans Affairs. I also oversee the tuition reimbursement program for Self-Sufficiency Services and assist with administrative and fiscal tasks.

Q: What’s your workplace superpower?

A: I would say my superpower is being observant. I have a keen ability for being observant and I like to think it helps me pinpoint creative solutions.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work.

A: I am currently training for long distance running with my amazing running coach – my dad! I also enjoy cooking delicious meals with my family, traveling to new places, trying out new restaurants in San Diego in search of the best tacos, and taking an Orange Theory class!

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about spending quality time with my family, improving on personal goals such as running, growing fruits and vegetables, spending time at Orange Theory with my favorite coaches 😊 and continuing the journey of a lifelong learner!

Q. What is the best advice you’ve received from a mentor?

A: Happiness is not the absence of problems. It’s the ability to deal with them.

You’re not stressed because you’re doing too much, it’s because you’re doing too little of what makes you feel most alive.

The lesson you struggle with will repeat itself until you learn from it.

Q: What are some resources that you find useful and recommend to others?

A: For personal development: “Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Other resources: Live Well San Diego and the San Diego County Library have tons of resources for the local community. Programs like Mana de San Diego also.

Q: Tell us about your ERG.

A: The San Diego County Latino Association is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to Latino employees in County government by improving their access to promotional opportunities, promoting the public service profession within the Latino community, and building and strengthening members’ professional, career, and social development. We seek to foster cultural awareness and expression for members while supporting County initiatives and serving as a resource to our County leadership.

Q: Why are ERGs important?

A: ERGs serve various purposes:

They are a platform for member conversation and dialogue on important career and community issues.
They are a vehicle for county employees to pay it forward in our community by volunteering and supporting initiatives.
They are professional networks systems to build personal and professional development.
They are a pipeline to give input and feedback to County leadership staff on various employee, career, professional development, cultural and socio-economic perspectives.

Q: What is your ERG looking forward to this year?

A: SDCLA has a clothing exchange coming up on May 7 at a local coffee shop and upcoming summer events like a Chicano Park tour, lunch and learn leadership workshops, hikes, and a Petco Park Hispanic Heritage Celebration! Lots of great events will take place this year!